1. Langston Hughes

2. Introduction Read 831 - 832

3. Langston Hughes “The Weary Blues” page 844 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyqwvC5s4n 8 - Rhythm and repetition - Why is the musician in the poem weary?

4. “The Negro Speaks of Rivers” page 842 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V425SdNWI JU&feature=related - Identity: What do the poem’s images convey about the speaker’s sense of identity? - What does the speaker himself represent?

5. Euphrates River – signifies Mesopotamia, the cradle of civilization Congo River – signifies Africa, where the slaves were captured Nile River – signifies Egypt, another important place in black history Mississippi River – signifies the southern United States, the seat of slavery in the U.S.

6. “I, Too” page 843 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CUKyVrhP gM - What aspects of African-American culture does the speaker describe in the poem? - What is the tone of the poem?

7. “Harlem” page 840 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=np_hPy12ai E - What is the speaker hinting at in the poem? - Discuss the use of similes.

8. “One Way Ticket” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ppjmLWlKg c - The Great Migration

9. “Motto” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2VQ- 3mOxrM - What is the tone of this poem?

10. - What do we learn about the 1920s in Harlem from reading Hughes’s poems? - How does Hughes use rhythm, repetition, and refrain in his poetry? Why? - What everyday experiences do you notice in his poetry that helped shape Hughes’s identity?

11. Read “Theme for English B” Model the poem – using at least 3 devices used by Hughes – to write your own “Theme for English B”